Susan Juby – Writer

My name is Susan Juby and I’m a writer. I’m still astonished to be able to say that.  My passions include reading, gardening, dressage riding, and watching quality television. I live on Vancouver Island with my husband, our dog, and several shelves worth of Paperblanks books.

I discovered these blank writing journals in the 90s when I worked as an editor at the publishing company that also produced Paperblanks. I was immediately smitten with the journals, but didn’t become a serious user until I started using them to write my own stories. Paperblanks made writing so pleasurable that they helped me to, at long last, push through a fourteen year writer’s block. In her book On Writing, Annie Dillard tells of being asked by a reader “Who will teach me to write?” Her answer? “The page, the page.” I’m convinced that Paperblank pages are better teachers than others.

I wrote my first two novels by hand in the old Paperblanks map journals (eight books worth) and continue to keep a semi-chaotic accounting of my life in them. I use them to make notes on future projects, interviews, and character studies, not to mention write down recipes, song lyrics, as well as my gardening and riding notes. I’ve held onto every Paperblanks writing journal I’ve ever owned and my collection grows every year. The 5 x 7” smythe sewn books with lined pages are my ideal format, but each size and style has its attractions.

The exceptional qualities of Paperblanks are many: there’s the sheer handsomeness of all the designs, the innovative closures and pockets, the paper that is just the right weight to write and draw on as well as the wonderful variety. It all adds up to an indefinable quality of excellence and, I have to admit, creates in me an almost unseemly desire to own every one.

My old Paperblanks books form the spine of my artistic identity. They helped turn me into a writer. I love them unabashedly.

Creative & Published Works:
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Our Artist Series features snapshots of the creative people who use our journals. From all parts of the world, and all walks of life, we celebrate the infinite number of ways in which creativity can be expressed. If you would like to have your story featured, email fmallett@hartleyandmarks.com.